Common Questions

2Here’s everything you need to know about getting married at Zinnia. If we managed to miss your question, please don’t hesitate to email or call us!

What do we need to get married?

All we’ll need from you is a marriage license and photo ID’s. You don’t need witnesses in Ohio, and there’s no waiting period!

Don’t have a marriage license yet? No worries, if today happens to be a Monday-Friday and it’s after 8am but before 4:30 pm, you can get one RIGHT NOW! If one (or both) of you live in Franklin County, you’ll need to obtain your license from Franklin County. There is no waiting period to get a license, and they can be obtained during normal business hours at 373 S. High St on the 23rd floor. The court has a very nice FAQ page HERE that should answer any questions you may have.

If you live outside of Franklin county and have obtained your license elsewhere in Ohio, we can still marry you!

With the exception of our Sit and Signs, all of our packages require a signed contract. If you are booking us in advance, there is also a non-refundable deposit that varies depending on the package booked. Click here to see our contract.

Do we need an appointment?

YES.We are by appointment only and do not have regular office hours.Pleasecontact us before you head over to our office. There is always the chance that we’re already booked for the day, especially on weekends. Assuming we’re not booked, we usually can meet you at our office in under an hour. Which quite honestly is way shorter than the wait to get married at the courthouse, which is usually two weeks.

Where are you located?

Zinnia is located at 2280 W. Henderson Road, Columbus OH 43220. We’re conveniently situated just north of Upper Arlington near Sawmill Road. We’re 15 minutes or so from the courthouse and about 20 minutes away from most places in the metro Columbus area. Our building has ample free parking and is handicap accessible.

Are you affiliated with any religion? What types of ceremonies do you provide?

While we welcome all that come through our doors, our ceremonies by default are non-religious, non-denominational secular ceremonies. We focus our ceremonies on love and the commitment that you two are making to each other.

Some people prefer to use their own officiant, be it for certain ethnic customs, religious reasons or because you’d prefer it in another language–and that’s perfectly fine with us! That’s exactly why we rent our ceremony space by the hour. Should you want your ceremony to be done in Klingon or Tagalog, that’s cool with us. In fact, your officiant doesn’t even need to be licensed. We’ll sign your marriage license for only $25 (if you’ve paid for the room rental). We’ll do a short 30 second “do you?” to make it official!

Do you do same-sex weddings or other ‘non-traditional’ weddings?

Of course! We’ve been performing them since before they were legal! (We just couldn’t sign the paperwork then!). So long as you walk in to our office with a marriage license we will marry anyone. We don’t judge–Love is Love.

Do I need a wedding dress/suit/fancy clothes?

Absolutely not! Most people that utilize our “60 second or less” sit and signs come as they are. Jeans, t-shirts, work clothes, whatever! The same goes if you choose to have a ceremony–come dressed as you’d like. Some choose to wear a dress or button down, but your attire is totally up to you. Just don’t show up naked. We’re not sure if that’s legal. Also, keep in mind that we offer photography, so you can document getting married in your favorite superman t-shirt. 🙂

Are there any rules I should know about?

Yes. Don’t show up under the influence of drugs or alcohol. We sadly can’t legally marry you if you’re not of sound mind. Feel free to celebrate and drink all you’d like afterwords to celebrate.

Also, keep in mind that you, your guests and anything you’re brought with you (flowers, decorations, etc) must be vacated from the venue by the end of your rental time. We often marry many people per day and there is a chance there is someone waiting to get married after you. If you aren’t out by the scheduled end time, we have to charge you $150 per half hour, unfortunately.

Is outside photography allowed?

Yes. If you are planning on taking posed photographs with family and friends after the ceremony, please remember that they must be finished by the end of your rental time, as we may have an event after yours.

If you’re thinking about photography, we highly recommend using our in-house professional photographer. One of the best parts about using our photographer as opposed to your own is that not only are our photographers true professionals, they also have photographed many, many weddings at Zinnia. They are accustomed to the lighting in our venue(the lighted backdrop can be very challenging to amateur photographers), and they are familiar with the layout of our space to give you the best photographs in which to remember your wedding. Check out our photography page for more info!

When will I receive my pictures from Zinnia?

Your pictures will arrive within 90 days of your event. They will be sent to you in an password protected online gallery.

Can we host our reception at Zinnia?

Yes. If you’d like to celebrate with your friends and family after the ceremony or if you’d like to have a small reception in our facility we can do that for you. We do not have a kitchen or refrigerator. Please also note that you cannot have more than 40 guests. You can have a beautiful ceremony and reception with all the bells and whistles at Zinnia for less that $2,500.

When can I arrive for my event at Zinnia?

You can arrive at your scheduled time. If you arrive earlier than your scheduled time you may be walking into another ceremony or reception. We often have multiple events per day.

Can I host other events at Zinnia?

Yes. We have had the pleasure of throwing baby showers, bridal showers, engagement parties, and rehearsal dinners all at Zinnia. As long as we are free and your guest count is less that 40 people we would love to help you celebrate all your special events.

Can I bring my own food and drinks to Zinnia?

Yes. We allow outside food and caterers. We also allow outside drinks and alcohol to be provided.